I was reading the results from the 2014 TINYpulse Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture Report which highlighted the 7 key trends impacting today’s workplace. They found that 49% of employees are not satisfied with their supervisor. That’s a lot of dissatisfied people. When probed, the top 3 reasons for dissatisfaction were:
Many managers think that people don’t like to be micro-managed and I would tend to agree. When I think of micro-managing, I visualize someone looking over my shoulder every step of the way. That is annoying and certainly not motivating. But don’t confuse that with employees’ desire for interaction and communication. A hands off management style can be very tricky. You may think you are giving people space and showing that you have confidence in them, but in reality they may feel neglected and unsupported.
Most people want clear direction that helps them get their job done and meet your expectations. I hear frustration on both sides. Managers tell me that they give instructions to their employees and nobody has any questions so they assume they’ve got it. Then they are frustrated when they don’t get the results they expect. Conversely, employees tell me that they are frustrated because their manager just expects them to know exactly what they want but doesn’t take the time to explain it. Or worse, they tell them one thing, and the next day, tell them something different. Also frustrating. Does any of this sound familiar?
It always boils down to the same thing. People need to communicate better if they really want to understand each other and get the results they want. People start at their jobs, excited and looking to do a good job. Managers hire people with great hopes of having someone they can count on. But the work can’t stop there. Like any relationship, we need to communicate with clarity and respect to be most productive. Make it a point to have your employees confirm what they think your expectation is. Check in with them before the deadline so they have a greater chance to succeed. Help them focus on the outcome so everyone stays motivated. Consider yourself a coach. The team needs you to guide them. What percentage of your staff would anonymously say they are satisfied with their supervisor?
Thoughts…….. Contact me at abbe@TECResourceCenter.com